Closure cap

ABSTRACT

Closure cap ( 1 ) for closing a liquid container ( 4 ) such as a vial, flask etc., having takeout means ( 14 ) for withdrawing liquid from the container without removing the cap and thereafter re-closing it, and protecting means ( 22 ) for proving the authenticity of the content of the container characterized by a skirt portion ( 2 ) and a cover ( 3 ), a recessed trough ( 6 ) in the cover, a fodable spout ( 14 ) having a spherical bearing portion ( 15 ) seated in a cylindrical portion ( 7 ) of the trough, and a channel ( 17 ) extending lengthwise through the spout.

This invention relates to a closure cap for closing a liquid containersuch as a vial, flask etc., having takeout means for withdrawing liquidfrom the container without removing the cap and thereafter re-closingit, and protecting means for proving the authenticity of the content ofthe container.

Bottle closing caps with takeout means for withdrawing a small amount ofthe liquid contained in the bottle and thereafter re-closing it arewell-known in everyday life, e.g. for liquid soap, shampoo, spices etc.Most of these closing caps do not have to be tamper-proof. If they haveto, usually a separate seal is provided which is broken at the occasionof the first opening.

For pharmaceutical or other uses where authenticity of the containercontent is absolutely critical and in addition the sterility of thecontent has to be guaranteed during the whole length of time until thecontainer is emptied, there is no satisfactory solution available bynow. This is especially true when at the same time for economicalreasons the closure cap should be easy to produce and to apply to thecontainer.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide such a closure capwhich fulfils all these requirements.

According to the invention this is achieved by a closure cap having thefeatures defined in the claims. In the following a preferred embodimentof the invention is described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. It is shown in

FIG. 1 a perspective view of a closure cap according to an embodiment ofthe invention

FIG. 2 a cross section along line A—A in FIG. 1

FIG. 3 another cross section along the same plane but unfolded

The closure cap shown in the figures consists of a main part 1 having acylindrical or slightly conical skirt 2 and an essentially flat circularcover 3. In use the skirt 2 tightly fits over the neck of a container 4.For this purpose the inner surface of the skirt 2 is provided with aninwardly directed annular projection 5 with which the cap is snap-fittedover a corresponding outwardly directed annular rim (not shown) aroundthe container neck. This is well-known in the art.

The cover is essentially flat but has a recessed trough 6 in its uppersurface. The trough 6 has side walls 7-9 and a bottom 11. An essentiallycylindrical side wall portion 7 is surrounding the central axis of thecap for the greater part of a full circle, i.e. about 330°. To one side,i.e. the direction of the remainder of the full circle the trough 6extends to the skirt 2 of the closure cap. To this end the trough 6 hasradially extending side wall portions 8. At the skirt 2 the trough 6 hasa sloping side wall portion 9. As a consequence of this configuration ofthe side walls the bottom 11 is approximately keyhole-shaped withangularly widening flanks when looked from above.

The cylindrical side wall portion 7 is provided with an annular bulge 12projecting towards the axis or centre of the closure cap. An opening 13is arranged coaxially in the centre of the circular portion of thebottom 11.

The trough 6 is the seat of a foldable spout 14. Foldable spout 14consists of a spherical bearing portion 15 and an elongated beak portion16. A channel 17 extends throughout the bearing portion 15 and the beakportion 16 and is open at both ends.

The spherical bearing portion 15 is dimensioned such that its diameteris slightly larger than the narrowest diameter of the bulge 12. Theaxial position of the bulge is such that the distance between itsnarrowest diameter and the level of the lowest point of the circularportion of the trough 6 is slightly greater than the diameter of thespherical bearing portion 15. As a consequence of this dimensionalconfiguration the spherical bearing portion 15 when pressed into thecylindrical portion of the trough 6 snaps into the position shown inFIG. 2 in which it is appropriately hold in place. At the same time thelower surface of the spherical bearing portion 15 closes the opening 13.

In the snapped-in position the seat of the spherical bearing portion 15allows rotation of the spout to bring the beak portion 16 in an uprightposition in which the channel is aligned with the opening. Thus, in thisposition liquid can flow out from the interior of the container throughopening and channel.

The beak portion 16 has an oblique front 18 which abuts on the slopedwall portion 9. Above the upper edge of the sloped wall portion 9 thebeak portion 16 has two lids 19 extending on both sides of a niche 21beyond the outer surface of the skirt 2.

The niche 21 of the spout portion is connected to the skirt 2 by meansof a thin, band-shaped plate 22 which has reduced thickness areas 23 atits connection to the skirt 2 and the spout. The reduced thickness areas23 constitute defined breaking zones. At the side of its centre portionthe plate 22 has an essentially semi-circular flat extension 24 servingas a grip for tearing off the plate at the occasion of the firstwithdrawal of liquid from the container. Accordingly, the plateconstitutes the tamper-proof seal.

All parts of the closure cap, i.e. the skirt 2, the cover, the spout andthe plate 22 are moulded as one piece in the position shown in FIG. 3.After the closure cap is removed from the mould the spout is folded intothe trough 6 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3. When it is entirelyfolded about the two hinges 23 the spherical bearing portion 15 issnapped into its seat and the closure cap is ready to be put on acontainer.

When the user intends to take out the first amount of liquid he firstremoves the plate 22 either with his finger nail or with a tool. He thenrotates the spout into the upright position by lifting the two lids ofthe beak portion 16. After having taken out the desired amount ofliquid, the spout is rotated back into the trough 6 thereby closing theopening and at the same time hiding the channel behind the sloped sidewall portion to protect it from contamination.

1. A closure cap for closing a liquid container comprising: a foldablespout for withdrawing liquid from the container without removing the capand thereafter re-closing it, and a tamperproof seal for ensuring theauthenticity of the content of the container, the cap comprising a skirtportion, a cover, and a recessed trough formed in the cover, the spoutcomprising a spherical bearing portion and an elongated beak sized andconfigured to seat within a cylindrical portion of the trough, and achannel extending lengthwise through the spout, wherein the tamperproofseal comprises a band-shaped plate integrally connected to the skirtportion and to the end of the beak remote from the bearing portion. 2.The closure cap of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion of thetrough has a bulge projecting towards the center of the closure cap. 3.The closure cap of claim 1, wherein the trough has a sloping side wallportion adjacent the skirt and the remote end of the beak has an obliquefront portion to abut on the sloped side wall portion of the trough.